


Broken

by shrugheadjonesthethird



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Abuse, Adoption, Alternate Universe - Foster Family, Angst, Betty Lodge, Broken! Betty, Child Abuse, Cutting, Eventual Happy Ending, F/M, Foster Care, Foster Siblings, Group Homes, Heavy Angst, Heavy Themes, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Jughead Jones is a Good Friend, Mean Girl Veronica Lodge, Mild Language, Murder, Pain, Panic Attacks, Self-Destruction, Self-Harm, Triggers, Violence, eventual bughead, seriously guys you've been warned
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-25
Updated: 2018-04-25
Packaged: 2019-04-27 21:22:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14434344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shrugheadjonesthethird/pseuds/shrugheadjonesthethird
Summary: Her parents were murdered when she was thirteen. She ran out to the corner store for a few odds and ends. She was gone for only ten minutes, but when she went home, her entire life was changed. She was devastated. She dropped the gallon milk to the tile floor, a white explosion in slow motion—something out of a movie. The police had said it was something to do with a string of crimes the media attributed to the Black Hood attacks.





	Broken

**Author's Note:**

> Guys. This one is kinda special to me, if you wanna know why, come find me on [tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/squids2therescue).
> 
> I also want to thank my _amazing_ beta, @gey_for_rey1999. She is seriously one of the most amazing people, ever. Thank you will never be enough, dear. Check her out on [AO3](https://archiveofourown.org/users/gay_for_rey1999).

**Last warning to turn back. Self-harm, child abuse, violence, pain, foster care. You've been sufficiently warned.**

* * *

 

Her parents were murdered when she was thirteen. She ran out to the corner store for a few odds and ends. She was gone for only ten minutes, but when she went home, her entire life was changed. She was devastated. She dropped the gallon milk to the tile floor, a white explosion in slow motion—something out of a movie. The police had said it was something to do with a string of crimes the media attributed to the Black Hood attacks.

She was walking back to the house, chuckling to herself. She couldn’t wait to tell her mother about the ridiculous experiences she had with an older woman at the store. When she arrived home, her front door was wide open; she was sure she closed it when she left. The curtains were blowing in the breeze. She entered carefully, not entirely sure what had happened. The television was shattered in the middle of the living room. When she left, her parents were in the kitchen, laughing over their morning coffee.

When she walked into the house, she saw them, laying stiff on the floor, face down, surrounded by blood. All the young woman could do was stand there, horror struck. After what felt to her like hours of paralysis, she dialed 911 and squeaked out her address and the word _help._ Her life was officially upside down.

Betty’s sister, Polly, had left the family home only weeks before the encounter, but she made it very clear to law enforcement, and child services that she wanted to part in adopting her sister to raise as her own. She had no other family, Alice and Hal Cooper were all Betty had.

Betty Cooper, at thirteen, didn’t have too many friends. She was growing into her own, but had her own struggles that she had kept to herself. After her parents’ murder, Betty lived in a group home for nearly three years. In this three years, she befriended fellow orphan, Jughead Jones. They became each other’s constants, each other’s only friend in their tragic young lives.

Jughead’s story wasn’t quite as tragic as Betty’s was. His parents were still alive, they just walked out on him, taking his sister with them. He was left with a note _this wasn’t your fault_. That was it. He kept that note in his wallet. He didn’t believe that it wasn’t his fault. How could it not be? Betty and Jughead became inseparable in their time together in the group home—they studied together, ate meals together, and took care of their chores together.

After three years, Jughead finally got adopted. Betty was happy for him, truly, but she couldn’t dislodge the thought in her head that no one wanted her. Being in a group home for as long as she had been, this thought was nearly permanent undertone in everything she did. She strived for perfection, if only to prove that she was worthy of adoption. Her appearance was always pristine, her clothes properly pressed, her grades were better than they’d ever been.

It was what she kept hidden from everyone, including Jughead that scared her. The years she spent there weren’t terrible, thanks to Jughead’s friendship, but there were things she kept to herself—she never wanted to worry him (he was always worried about her). When she couldn’t control the things around her, she turned to something she _could_ control. She could never let Jughead find out, it would rip his heart out. There was one point she thought he knew, but never said anything. She was sure she was being inconspicuous, ever careful to hide her indiscretions.

Shortly after Jughead was adopted, Betty had a final interview with a family that wanted to adopt her. She didn’t want to ruin her chances, so she made sure to dress her best and be on her best behavior for the interview. It took place in their lavish penthouse. Hiram and Hermione Lodge were her prospective adoptive parents. They were well to do business owners from New York.

“My name is Elizabeth Cooper. I’m 16 years-old.” Betty answered when asked. She was sure to only speak when spoken to. “But, I go by Betty, normally.” She was excited for the opportunity, but she didn’t want to get her hopes up. There was nothing more that Betty wanted than to be adopted, but it was difficult for older foster children than it was for the younger ones. She was hopeful nonetheless.

The Lodge’s, in public, were a lovely family. To the world they were upstanding, wonderful people—upstanding citizens. Everyone in the agency was excited when they heard about Betty’s pending adoption into their family. Before long, it was official. Elizabeth Cooper was adopted by the Lodge family.

The agency made sure that their older children remained in their same schooling throughout the process as to not disrupt their education. Betty excelled in school, finally beginning to branch out and make new friends, join clubs and even begin to write for the school paper.

Hiram and Hermione, and their biological daughter, Veronica, had adopted another child at the same time as Betty: Adeline. Addie was eight years old. Addie and Betty were fast friends, both being new to the family. Addie went to Riverdale Elementary, just down the road from Riverdale High. The routine became Betty walking Addie to and from school, as it was on her way. Betty loved their bonding time, learning about her new sister. Every day on the way home, they’d stop at the park to play. Addie’s unconditional trust gave Betty hope that maybe this family wouldn’t be too bad.

It was a few months into Betty’s adoption when everything began to change. The social worker no longer visited and conducted home evaluations. It was at this point when The Lodge’s true colors began to surface. It seems they could charm their way into (or out of) everything. When Hiram would return home from a long day at the office, he wasn’t pleasant. The change in his was gradual, at first. He’d come home and scream. He’d come home and hit Betty. He’d come home and do worse than anything she could imagine.

Betty kept in touch with Jughead after their adoptions. He seemed happy. Over the course of the next few months, Betty began to withdraw, noticeably. She stopped writing for the paper, her grades began to slip; she was falling apart, and no one seemed to notice—except Jughead.

One day on her way to leave school, Jughead met her at her locker. “Betty! How’s things with the new family?” he asked as he followed her out the main door.

Betty shrugged, “As good as it can be, I guess.” Betty knew home wasn’t what it should have been, but she couldn’t tell him. She thought part of him already knew that.

“I just noticed that you’ve been very, not you, lately. You’d tell me if something was up, right?” Jughead looked at her nervously. He didn’t know how to broach the subject and was attempting to be as subtle as possible.

“Of course, Jug. I tell you everything.” She plastered a smile to her face, but they both knew it was fake. It fell from her face quickly, only reappearing as they approached the elementary school. Addie ran to Betty and jumped into her arms. “Hey, tiny! How was school today?” Addie regaled them with how she made a new friend in class that day and what they learned in math. They headed to the park for the after-school ritual before going back into the lion’s den.

Jughead made his way a nearby picnic table and set up his laptop. Some days he joined them at the park, some days he stayed at the school to work. Jughead had mentioned in passing that Addie reminded him on Jellybean; he always had a wistful look in his eye when she was brought up. Addie ran around the park, expelling the energy that Betty wish she still had. Betty sat watching her, thinking. _If anything ever happens to this little girl, I don’t know what I’d do._ Betty’s phone rang, breaking her from her reverie. It was Hiram. When he called, it meant they needed to be home as soon as possible.

“Come on, Addie. We gotta go!” Betty called for the little girl, waving her phone in the air. “We’ll be home in ten minutes, sir.” Betty answered into the phone.

“Betty! Can we come back tomorrow and play?” she asked Betty. Addie loved playing in the park. It was the only real bonding time that they had together, at least by themselves. When they were at the house, there are too many chances to be overheard. They never discussed anything particularly bad, but it was nice to have the freedom to do so without prying ears.

“Every day, Addie.” Betty promised. “But now, we gotta go. Mr. Hiram called, so we better hurry.” Her words were dripping with fear. Betty and Addie waved goodbye to Jughead from across the park, earning them a smile from the furiously typing boy.

\--

Betty refused to call the Lodge’s mom and dad. The simple fact was, they were not her parents. Betty thought they were doing the best they could, but that was a fleeting thought. She knew they weren’t. Their appearance was all for show. The only person who got treated well was their biological daughter, Veronica. She was the same age as Betty, went to the same school, but if someone didn’t know about Betty’s adoption, they’d never be able to guess there was some kind of legal relation.

Veronica was the average sixteen-year-old girl, who had never been told no before. Whatever she wanted, she got. She never had to earn anything, yet there she was, with every single thing she could ever possibly want or need. Betty was sure if Veronica asked for the moon, Hiram and Hermione would find a way to get it for her. Veronica was the only child in the house who got positive attention. No matter how well Betty did in school, she was never praised. Veronica was blessed with a beautiful exterior—perfectly manicured everything, flawless skin, beautiful clothing, the whole nine. But, if anyone saw Veronica for who she truly was, they’d run screaming. Her interior was as cold as the Arctic Circle. The way she treated Betty and Addie was deplorable. Betty could handle it, but she feared for Addie more often than she didn’t. The pain the Lodge family caused them would require years of therapy. Betty tried her best to stomach the abuse and hold her own when she could, but Addie couldn’t, nor should she have had to.

Each of the Lodge’s had their own brand of abuse. Hermione and Veronica were more vindictive and emotionally abusive. Hiram on the other hand, the physical was more his speed. His father, as he had explained to Betty and Addie, conducted his family in the same way. _Like father like son_ , Betty often thought. Betty never met Hiram’s father, he had passed shortly after Veronica was born, but if he was anything like Hiram was, she could only imagine how horrible he had been.

Hiram had come home in a decent mood, after Betty and Addie had arrived home from the park. It was a rare night of peace in the Lodge household for the two adopted girls.

\--

The next morning, Betty walked Addie to school, as per usual. While Hiram had been calm the night before, Betty couldn’t get out of her own head, dealing with the aftermath on the way to school. When she was waiting for the other shoe to drop, she went to her controlled relief. Betty’s thighs were itchy. The cuts were healing from the night before, but the sting brought her to a sort of calm as she walked with Addie. Betty’s anxiety was higher than usual, but she wasn’t sure why.

Veronica drove by with her friends as she dropped Addie off to the elementary school. One of them more than likely spouting something harsh against her, they laughed as they stared her down. Every day Betty walked to school, she would get dirty looks, only increasing as the months passed with her new living arrangement. She couldn’t be bothered with her perfectly pressed sweaters or to even match; most days she put on leggings and an oversized sweater. She had a tendency to hide within herself as things got worse. _I used to be stronger than this_ , she thought to herself.

Betty passed Jughead in the hallway before class started. She didn’t stop to say hello, as she normally would, but not for his lack of trying. Jughead had worry plastered all over his face. Betty tried her best to ignore it. “Sorry, Jug. I gotta run,” Betty lied. They’d been best friends through everything. She didn’t know why it was so hard to tell him what was happening with the Lodge’s. She had no logical explanation in ignoring him, but to her it seemed to be the easier option. Betty felt her anxiety spike as she hurried past him.

Betty and Veronica shared a few classes together, much to her dismay. Veronica refused to admit she knew Betty. Third period began and Veronica’s desk was empty. Mr. Prang, the Global History teacher, asked Betty if he knew where she was. Betty shrugged, not wanting to get involved. Betty couldn’t care less if Veronica failed her classes. She knew she’d barely graduate high school; she would be better off marrying for money—Veronica Lodge was lucky she was attractive—it’s the only way she’d achieve anything in her life.

After an agonizing twenty minutes of Mr. Prang droning through detail of some war that happened in a part of Europe that didn’t exist anymore, Betty raised her hand to use the bathroom. Admittedly, she didn’t actually need to use the bathroom for its intended purpose. Betty was feeling overwhelmed. She could feel Jughead’s worrying eyes on the back of her head. It was too much for her. Betty slipped out of the room, gripping the sleeves of her sweater into her palms. Jughead watched her as she left, growing increasingly more concerned as the hours passed.

Betty stopped at her locker. She kept a small ‘emergency kit’ for days when she was especially anxious. It wasn’t her preferred methods, but it would have to do while still trying to be sneaky about what she was doing. She grabbed the Altoid container and shoved it into her sleeve to hide it. As Betty approached the girl’s bathroom, she heard uncontrollable laughter. She pushed the door open cautiously. Two of Veronica’s friends sprinted out of the door as she entered. Veronica stared at Betty with wide eyes.

“Oh, shit… Hey, B.” Veronica muttered as she rubbed the back of her neck. She looked back and forth between Betty and the small metal ledge under the mirror, above the sink. The ledge was covered in a coating of white powder. Amongst the powder say a compact mirror and a coffee straw.

“Is that what I think it is, V? Are you kidding me?! Hiram is going to whoop your ass when he finds out!” Betty exclaimed. She had been looking for something, anything, to get Princess Veronica on trouble with Hiram. She wanted Veronica to know what it was like for her and Addie under the wrath of Mr. Lodge. There was a slightly satisfied smirk building on Betty’s face.

“Daddy isn’t going to find out. Do you know what will _actually_ happen? You’re going to keep your big mouth shut and everything will be a-okay. You get me?” Betty looked confused, her eyebrows folding into each other, her head cocking to the side in bewilderment.

“I have to tell him, V! You’re doing jingle jangle in the fucking bathroom at school. Do you know how crazy that is?”

“No, no. You see, I can do no wrong, remember? If you say _anything_ , even one word, to Daddy about this, the only one that’s going to get hurt is you,” she smirked, “or Addie.” Veronica knew how Betty cared for Addie. Betty’s heart pounded in her chest at the insinuation. “I’m the only one that Daddy actually gives a shit about. Do you really think he cares what you have to say about his precious little girl? Besides, who do you think I got it from? I stole it from his briefcase before school today. You know his business isn’t actually _legitimate,_ right? He’s done way worse, he won’t be mad at me for this.” Betty wasn’t sure why she was surprised at this information. She took a few steadying breaths, trying to process the rant that Veronica had completed. “We wouldn’t want anything to happen to little Addie, would we?” Veronica raised her left eyebrow, smirking incredulously. She grabbed the coffee straw and snorted a line, staring Betty directly in her eyes as she did. She cleaned up the remaining drugs and paraphernalia and pranced out of the bathroom.

_What the actual fuck just happened?_ Betty thought, astonishment printed across her face. Betty locked herself in the furthest stall from the door. Betty’s heart began to race, tears were pricking her eyes, her breathing wavered—the panic attack was gradual until it hit her like a tsunami, all at once and without hesitation. Her hands trembled. She pulled the small metal box from her sleeve and cracked it open. The box contained an exacto blade, paper clips, safety pins, a broken house key, a few bandages and a small washcloth. She fumbled through the contents, choosing the broken key as tool. She searched for the sharpest edge the key offered and pressed it firmly into her exposed upper thigh. The warmth of the blood that trickled down her leg was the comfort she had been searching for. She let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been keeping. Her heartbeat began to steady as she remembered to breath. It was the solace Betty was looking for to keep her anxiety at bay for the time being. She took her time, creating a few more slices in her skin before she realized the time and how long she’d been away from class. She wiped up the rolling blood from her leg and shoved everything back into the small box, hiding it in her sleeve again.

Betty slipped back into class, nearly undetected. All she wanted was to make it through the day without another panic attack. It had become far too frequent. The bell rang, effectively dismissing class.

“Betty, hey.” Jughead called. Betty tried her best to avoid him again. “Betty?” he grabbed her shoulder when he caught up to her. Her eyes were still red-rimmed, beginning to fill with tears again. Betty knew Jughead would be angry with her if he knew what she’d just done.

“Hey, Jug. Sorry, I have to get to class,” she tried to walk away, but his hand was still on her shoulder. He gripped it slightly tighter to stop her. She winced slightly at the pressure.

“We’re going to the same place, Betty.” They walked together in an awkward silence until Jughead finally spoke. “Are you okay? I feel like you’ve been avoiding me.” Betty wasn’t actively avoiding him, but she didn’t know how to tell him about what she’d been doing. She didn’t want him to worry.

“Things have been—“ she chose her words carefully, “—an adjustment.” Jughead accepted this answer as if he could understand her true intent, but how could he? They ducked into the next class, effectively ending the awkward conversation.

The end of the school finally arrived, without another incident for Betty. She made her way to her locker. Jughead was there waiting for her. “Mind if I come to the park with you and Addie today?” Betty shook her head. While she couldn’t tell him, she loved his company. As they approached the doors, Veronica grabbed Betty by the wrist. Betty pulled back from her quickly, clutching her wrist in pain.

“We don’t have a problem here, right?” Veronica grimaced, eying both Betty and Jughead. Jughead stands behind Betty, silently.

“No, V. No problems.” Veronica smiled and frolicked away with her army of friends to the parking lot. Betty rolled her eyes. They continue to walk to the elementary school. Jughead hadn’t said anything to Betty about the interaction with Veronica; he figured if it was something Betty would tell him. Addie came running toward them, a smile splitting her face.

“How was school today, bud?” Betty asked Addie as she jumped into her arms. Addie accidently kicked Betty in the thigh, making her wince in pain. Betty knew Jughead saw the expression. She began to mentally prepare for his anger as Addie talked about her school day.

“Betty! Today was the best day. We got a class pet! He’s a guinea pig and and we each get to take turns bringing him home on the weekends to take care of him. Betty! He’s so little and cute. His name is Arnold. Do you think Mr. Hiram will let me take him home?! It's my turn in two weeks!” Addie is animated as she describes the guinea pig and how excited she is the opportunity. Betty hadn’t seen that much excitement in a long time.

“I don’t know, bud. We can ask him at dinner tonight. I’ll even help you out. Maybe that will help him make his decision.” Betty reassured the tiny excited girl. Betty knew Hiram would say no. Her heart broke at the thought of Addie’s shattered dream. Hiram was the kind of person who liked to rip joy and happiness from other people because it was ripped from him during his childhood. It made sense to Betty.

They arrived at the park a few minutes later. Betty explained they only had a short time to stay.  Addie ran to the monkey bars and began to climb and swing, giggling as she did.

“Betty?” Jughead’s voice was low and oozing with fear and concern.

“What’s up, Jug?” Betty put on her happiest face, but they both knew it was an act.

“Are you still,” he started, trying to think of the most tactful way to word it, “hurting yourself?” His eyes dropped to the ground. His voice was low, not wanting Addie to overhear if she came running over to them. Betty nodded slowly. Jughead was the last person she wanted to know about it, but there he was. He wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tighter than he ever had in the past. Tears were streaming down her face by the time he let go.

“How did you know?” Betty’s voice was small, even she didn’t recognize it.

“At the group home, I saw, but I never said anything. I should have. Betty, I’m so sorry.” He pulled her in for another hug, stroking the back of her neck to comfort her. “I wish I said something sooner, maybe I could have helped you.” He whispered into her hair.

“This isn’t on you, Jug. Whether you said something or not, I’m sure it would still have happened. Things are just so,” Betty stopped herself. Hiram had threatened her in the past: if she ever told anyone about what he was doing, he’d make it worse and make her regret it. She sobbed into his shoulder. After a moment, she pulled herself from him, wiping the tears from her eyes. He placed his hand loving on her face, wiping the remaining tears. The direct eye contact made Betty shiver. He placed a gentle kiss on her rosy, tear stained cheek. She let a small smile appear on her face, but it soon vanished. “We have to go, Jug. I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“Yeah, tomorrow. You’ll call me if you need anything?” Betty nodded. Addie ran toward Betty and Jughead. Jughead leaned down and gave Addie a quick hug before they left. The pair walk quickly back to the Pembrooke.

\--

Hiram came home and it seemed that it was going to be a pleasant night in the Lodge Estate, two nights in a row. Betty was thrilled for the quiet of their evening, until Hermione opened her mouth. There was a message left on the house phone voicemail from Betty’s Chemistry teacher, Miss Murray. She detailed Betty having difficulties in class and her frequent absenteeism.  She was worried about Betty. She’s seemed to be the only adult who showed any concern for her well-being since her parents were killed.

Betty had begged Hermione to keep this from Hiram; she knew how he’d react. There is no amount of knowing that can prepare someone for the sheer unadulterated wrath that came from an abusive parent.  No amount of begging Hermione seemed to work for Betty. She offered to do extra chores, go without meals, as she’d done in the past for indiscretions, anything to not tell Hiram, but she insisted. When either Betty or Addie did something wrong, they both got punished.

“So, Addie’s class got a pet and they are all taking turns to care for him. If I help her out, can she bring him home for the weekend. It’s not for another two weeks, so you don’t have to answer now, but everyone in the class has done it. They are trying to teach responsibility.” Betty was talking faster than usual, her nerves getting the better of her. She wanted to create a distraction from the impending horror she’d face.

“What kind of pet is it, Adeline?”

“Its a--” Betty was cut off.

“I was asking Adeline. Addie, what kind of pet is it?” Hiram was trying to play the game. He feigned interest to get her excited, only to tear her down moments later.

“He’s a guinea pig. His name is Arnold. Mrs. Kay says bringing him home will help us learn ‘sponsibility.” Addie was so excited to be talking about it with him. It gave her the slightest bit of hope he’d say yes.

“Let me think about it.” Hiram was shaking his leg in aggravation, biting at the inside of his lip. He knew what Betty was attempting to do. Hiram Lodge’s temperament went from Mother Theresa to Joseph Stalin in, roughly, six seconds. He didn’t say a word. He simply pushed himself back from the table, putting his hands on his thighs and stood up. He grabbed her wrist and dragged me up the stairs, to the back bedroom. Betty had never seen anything good happen in this particular room. The door stayed locked except for these “special occasions”. The room was always dark, curtains blocking out the sun and all signs of happiness with it. Betty always closed her eyes and tried to leave her body; maybe that way it wouldn’t be as bad. No amount of tears or begging ever made him stop. He only stopped when he thought we had learned the lesson he was trying to teach. Betty prayed Hiram wasn’t this vicious with Addie as he is with her.

Betty tried to imagine a future that didn’t involve Hermione and Hiram or Veronica. It’s just her and Addie. She replayed her conversation in the park with Jughead. The look of concern on her face, the gentle kiss he placed on her cheek. The sweet memory wasn’t enough to block the horror from her, but having something positive to focus on helped.

When it was finally over, Hiram makes Betty sit up and look at him in the eye. He smacked her across the face. “You did this to yourself. No one has ever and will ever love you. How could they? You’re a failure. You’ll die alone.” His voice was harsh, but calm, as it usually was. She had heard this more times than she can count, and every time, she believed it more. Betty sat there, tears streaming down her face. She was in pain, but she couldn’t let him see that. If she showed weakness, he’d do it again, just to assert his power. Betty always did what she had to survive. Betty had no hope left to get out alive.

As soon as it’s over, Betty limped into her bedroom, locked the door and cried. She kept her paraphernalia under the bed in a shoe box, hiding with pictures of her parents, one of her and Jughead when they were fourteen, a few other positive memories from what felt like a lifetime ago. She opened the box and the gleam of the blades was a glimpse of happiness to Betty. She sat on the floor, her legs crossed in front of her. She pulled up the pant leg of her baggy pajama pants to expose her thighs.

Betty looked down and all she could see was the past. Scars and reminders of when she’d done wrong in the eyes of her “parents”. _You’re a failure. No one will ever love you._ This thought resonated in her mind. Betty used to make patterns in her skin, but after a while, everything got so intertwined that there are scars and scabs in every direction. Some are years old, while others are only hours old.

She pressed the blade to her thigh and sighed heavily. Simply having the blade pressed to her skin was a relief. The breath just before the metal carves its way into the skin, so full of hope and the promise of solace—that was Betty’s favorite because for a moment, she was in control. There is something so cathartic about it all. She closed her eyes and tears are rushing out again. She is about to delve into her relief when there was a knock at the door. Betty exhaled, throwing the blade back into the box and pushed it under the bed, just out of reach.

“Betty?” A small voice whimpered from the other side of the door. Betty got up and unlocked the door. Addie was sitting in front of her door, small bruised already forming across her arms. Betty picked her up and cradled her in her lap. Addie was crying. She was too young to understand that she didn’t do anything to deserve this kind of treatment. Betty let her cry until she had nothing left. Eventually, Betty tucked her into her bed and watched her sleep, to ensure she was okay.

Betty lowered herself back to the floor, reaching for her box. From across the room, her phone vibrated. She made her way to the vanity and picked it up. She had missed a few messages, all from Jughead.

_J: Just checking in. I’m here if you need me. ❤_

_J: It’s been a few hours, are you okay?_

_J: Betty?_

_J: Please, just answer me._

_B: Hi._

With her response, her phone rang in her hand.

“It’s been hours, Betty. Are you okay?” Jughead’s voice was a welcome sound to Betty.

“Sorry. I—uhh—fell asleep.” She faltered knowing it was a lie.

“I’ve known you long enough to know when you’re lying to me, Betty.” He exhaled harshly. “Please tell me what’s happening. I wanna help.”

“You can’t,” she sobbed. Tears were streaming down her face again. Betty hung up the phone. She knew Jughead only wanted to help, but she couldn’t risk Addie getting hurt again. Betty didn’t hear from Jughead again that night.

The next morning, Betty and Addie joined the Lodge’s for breakfast as they did every morning. Hiram acted as if nothing had transpired the night before. They stared into their expired cereal with nearly expired milk. Veronica sat giggling into her cellphone, true to character. Betty always wondered how Hiram would be so cruel to her and Addie, but never to Veronica; maybe it was his way of showing love to them, what he learned from his father. Hiram never left marks that couldn’t be covered by their clothing, he knew better. He always knew better.

“Miss Cooper has a visitor; may I send him up?” Smithers voiced from the intercom downstairs. Hiram lifted his head from his newspaper and cocked an eyebrow.

“Sure, send the gentleman up.” Betty’s eyebrows knitted together. Moments later, Jughead Jones was standing in the foyer of the penthouse. “And you are?” Hiram called from the table, Betty’s back was to him.

“Jughead Jones. I’m a friend of Betty’s. I just wanted to see if she and Addie wanted to walk to school together.” Jughead gripped the strap of his messenger bag nervously. Hiram didn’t say anything, he simply waved his hand toward Betty and Addie to dismiss them from the table. Jughead followed Betty quietly up to her room. “Addie, make sure you have everything for school, we’re gonna go in a few minutes, okay?” Jughead crouched down to speak to the young girl. She smiled at him and ran to her room to gather her things. Betty pulled him into her bedroom and closed the door behind them. Jughead pulled her into a bone-crushing hug. He saw how tired Betty had been, all at one, in that moment.

“Why are you here?” Betty asked him, almost inaudibly.

“I wanted to make sure you were okay. You hung up on me last night. Are you? Alright, I mean.” Betty shook her head violently, tears forming in her eyes for the millionth time that week. “Show me?” he whispered. Jughead kissed her forehead with the same tenderness as the day before in the park. It had been years since someone showed her that level of care.

Betty pulled out of the hug, searching Jughead’s face for anything to tell her not to. She didn’t find anything in his face but genuine concern, but there was something else there, too. Betty couldn’t place it, but she knew she’d seen it somewhere else before.

“I can’t,” Betty was nervous to reveal herself to him, “not here,” she added. Her voice was barely above a whisper. He nodded, trying to think of a plan. He helped her gather her school books and they headed back into the hallway to collect Addie. “You ready to go, little lady?” Betty asked her with a smile on her face. Addie had her backpack strapped carefully to her back. The three of them made their way back to the dining room, where the Lodge’s remained, as if they hadn’t moved. Hiram cleared his throat as they entered the room.

“Uh, Mr. Lodge. I was wondering if Betty would be able to study at my house tonight. We have a killer Chemistry test Monday. Addie can come, too. She can play with my little sister.” Jughead’s voice was stronger than it had been previously. Betty looked at him, but quickly understood what he was attempting to do.

“I don’t see why not,” Hiram acquiesced. “Hermione and I will be at the office late tonight anyway. Ronnie, darling, aren’t you having your friends over tonight for a sleepover?” Veronica nodded and she clicked on her cell phone, giggling. “Stay as late as you need to, Betty. Have a great time.” Hiram’s voice was sickly sweet, it made them all cringe.

“Thank you, Mr. Lodge,” Betty said in a raspy voice. He waved his hand to dismiss them again. Betty, Addie, and Jughead made their way to the elevator without another word for anyone. When the elevator doors closed, Betty let out a breath she’d been holding during the entire interaction. “Jug, are you nuts?” she whisper screamed.

“It was the only way I could think to make sure you didn’t have to come back here as soon,” he looked down at Addie, “either of you.” Jughead had a soft spot in his heart for Addie. Betty grabbed Jughead’s hand. He looked over at her, a warm smile blooming across his face. She reciprocated; this was the first genuine smile to pass Betty’s lips in what felt like years. They kept the conversation light on their way to the elementary school. At some point on their walk, Addie made her way between Betty and Jughead--they were now both holding her hands, swinging her every few steps. Her playful giggle was music to Betty’s ears.

“Alright, Jug and I will be back after school to pick you up. Have a good day today, okay?” Addie hugged them both and ran through the front door of the elementary school. Jughead and Betty continued to walk the remaining half mile to the high school, their pace leisurely. Betty was in no rush to get to school, neither was Jughead. “Thank you.” Betty said, kicking an invisible rock out of her path.

“For what?”

“Making sure we don’t have to go back there tonight.” Betty looked over at him, tears forming in her eyes. “God, I feel like all I do is cry anymore.”

“Are you gonna tell me? I don’t wanna force it, but clearly things aren’t what they should be,” Jughead stopped and faced her, “Betty, I’m really worried about you, and I know I’ve said it before, but that doesn’t change the fact that you’re very obviously, at least to me, hurting, in every sense of the word. Please, just let me help you.” Jughead plead.

“I know, Jug,” she reached up to cup his face, trying to show the same tenderness with him as he had shown with her. He leaned his face into her hand. He leaned down and kissed her cheek again. Betty smiled the rest of the way to school with Jughead by her side.

They went about their day as usual. Any chance he got, Jughead was with Betty, making sure she stayed calm. It was the first day in months that Betty hadn’t felt more than one panic attack encroaching. During lunch, they met in the newspaper office. Betty missed writing for the paper, but with the hand she had been dealt, it was the easiest to leave behind. He on the couch, Jughead’s arm flung over the back, as he usually was. Betty paced in front of the couch in front of, looking as if she was about to be sick.

“Betty, if you’re not ready, it’s o--”

“No, Jug. I’ve kept this from you long enough.” She took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. “I started when I got to the group home. After my parent died, I didn’t feel like I had anyone anymore. After being there for so long, it felt like no one _wanted_ me. I watched so many kids get adopted, but never me, so when it was my turn, I was so excited. Finally, I was worthy of someone’s love.” Tears rolled down her cheeks as she confessed her innermost demons to Jughead. “The first few months with the Lodge’s were wonderful--happy even. They treated me and Addie as if we their real children. That was until the caseworker stopped doing his check ins. After that is when it all started to fall apart.”

“That was when?”

“Six months or so ago. After that, the Lodges transformed into the worst version of villains I’ve ever seen. Mr. Lodge comes home angry with work, and if either of us do something even remotely unsavory--” Betty stopped herself. Jughead waited, he grew angrier as Betty’s silence lingered.

“What does he do, Betty?” Jughead didn’t recognize his own voice.

“He threatened to hurt us more if we told anyone. I can’t let anything happen to Addie, Jug.” A sob escaped Betty’s throat. Jughead’s mouth was dry, he had difficulty swallowing the information she just unloaded on him. “No one would believe me anyway.”

“I believe you.” He reached out his hand to her. She grabbed his hand, hers quaking in fear. He pulled her down next to him on the couch and hugged her into his side, trying his best to comfort her.

“He only hits Addie. But, it’s more than that for me, I guess cause I’m older.” She was speaking into his chest at this point. She was too afraid to look Jughead in the eye; she didn’t want to see the emotion in them. “He forces--”

“Stop, please.” Jughead’s eyes were wet with tears for Betty and Addie. “You have to tell someone, Betty. It’s never going to stop if you don’t.”

“No, Juggie, you don’t understand. It’ll be _worse_. I can’t--” Betty lost her ability to speak, horror and sheer sadness taking her over.

“I’m not letting you go back there,” he whispered into her hair, kissing the top of her head. It was in that moment that Betty realized what that something else in Jughead’s eyes was. His words made her head race; it was then that she realized that he felt like home to her.

“What do I do?” She looked up at Jughead, her eyes wide, her voice was just barely above a whisper. He could almost hear her heart shatter. He knew this was going to be difficult for her, and all he wanted was to be there for her.

\---

Betty and Jughead spent the remainder of the day in the newspaper office, forgoing their scheduled classes. Around their lunch time, Jughead slipped out to get them something to eat. He had been thinking about a way to help Betty. On his way back to the cafeteria, he ran into their chemistry teacher, Miss Murphy.

“Oh, hello, Jughead. I missed you in class today. Care to explain?”

“No, not really,” he muttered, staring at his feet. “I’m sorry.”

“Well, have you seen Miss Cooper? There is something I need to speak with her about. It’s rather urgent, actually.” Jughead stared blankly at her. He simply walked back toward the office, Miss Murphy following him. Jughead knocked on the door, to alert Betty he was back. She was curled up on the couch in the fetal position, clutching her knees.

“Miss Murphy was looking for you. She’s here, is it okay if she comes in?” Betty sat up, wiping rogue tears from her eyes and nodded slowly. They walked in, Jughead placing the food he’d gotten on the table and handed Betty a bottle of water, which she accepted graciously.

“Betty, can I speak to you privately?” she asked, eyeballing Jughead. He turned to walk away. Betty grabbed his hand, a silent plea for him to stay. He sat down next to her and draped an arm over her shoulder. Miss Murphy let out an audible breath. “I’d prefer--”

“He stays,” Betty insisted. Miss Murphy simply nods.

“Listen, there are somethings I need to address with you today. I’ve heard some things circulating around the school, and I wanted to confront you about it before you heard them from anywhere else.” Miss Murphy took a deep breath, not knowing how to delicately approach the topic. “I’ve overheard some students talking about some things that they’ve seen in the locker room after gym class.” Betty’s eyes widened, pricking with tears. Jughead smoothed his hand over her shoulder. “Scars and bruises all over your legs and shoulders.” With that, Betty was crying again, unrelenting tears. “I’ve also overheard some girls talking about how wonderful your parents are and that you’re seeking attention for these things.” Betty shot up straight, an angry look appearing on her face.

“They are _not_ my parents. My parents are _dead_.” Betty got off the couch and began pacing around the room, wringing her hands in frustration. “They don’t know a damn thing about what it’s like at home.” Her voice was small again, tears streaming down her face as she continued the horror stories that Miss Murphy was not expecting. She begins to well up with tears in her eyes, Jughead’s eyes matching. “But, I’m not supposed to say anything. He told me if anyone knew it’d be worse for us.”

“Betty you know I _legally_ have to report the abuse. I cannot just let you go back into that house knowing what is going on to you and your sister.”

“Please, you can’t.” Betty was nearly begging. “I’m not even going home tonight. You don’t have say anything.”

“Maybe it’s better if she _does_ say something tonight. You and Addie won’t be home, you’ll be safe. He won’t be able to hurt you.”

“I’ve already met with Principal Weatherbee about the comments. We were waiting to speak with you before officially doing anything. The next step would be to call the police, have them document your injuries, conduct a medical evaluation. Is that something you’re willing to do?” Miss Murphy was stern, but soft in tone.

Betty looked at Jughead for guidance. More than before, she was terrified. How on earth could something bad happen to Hiram Lodge? She nodded meekly. Jughead took her face in his hands.“I’ll be there the whole time, if you want.” She pressed herself into his chest and nodded slowly.

\--

While Betty continued to speak with Miss Murphy and Principal Weatherbee, Jughead ran to get Addie from school and bring her back to Riverdale. On his way, he called his adoptive mother, Janet, to ask if he could borrow the car, the urgency clear in his voice. They got into the car and made it back to the high school before the end of the day. Addie ran to sit on Betty’s lap and she hugged her tightly.

“Addie, we have to stop somewhere before we go to Jughead’s house, okay? I need you to be a brave girl for me.” Addie was confused, she wasn’t entirely sure what was happening. She ushered her out of the room to talk to her privately. “They know about what Mr. Hiram does to us, bud. We have to go tell the police and see the doctor.”

“No, Betty! He’s gonna be so mad.”

“He won’t be able to hurt us again, bud. I promise.” Betty pulled her into another tight hug before Jughead joined them outside the principal’s office. Jughead, Betty and Addie walked out the front door, hand in hand. They passed Veronica in the hallway on the way out. She had no idea what was about to happen.

The threesome made their way to the police station. An officer was awaiting their arrival. Addie told her story first. The officer was kind with her. She was ushered into another room by a different officer. Betty and Jughead sat waiting.

“Elizabeth, would you come with me? My name is Carroll Jenkins.” Officer Jenkins said, jutting her hand out for Betty to shake. She did so carefully. Officer Jenkins was a kind looking black woman. Betty was thankful they had a female officer to speak with her. “Sir, you can wait here for your friend,” she added toward Jughead.

“Actually, can he come, too?” Betty squeaked. She knew she wouldn’t be here without his support and wanted him there. She wanted him to know the whole story. Officer Jenkins nodded and ushered them into a small, private room. They sat down, Betty’s hands were trembling with anticipation and fear. Jughead took them in his, it was the only thing he could think to do in that moment. Betty looked up into his glassy blue eyes and mouthed _thank you_ . He nodded in a silent _you’re welcome_.

Betty began at the beginning. She told Officer Jenkins why she ended up in the system, how she managed to get adopted by the Lodges and how everything was wonderful for the first little while. She told her the horror of coming home and not knowing how Hiram would react to even the smallest indiscretion or incident. By the time she was finished with her story, Betty and Jughead were both in tears again. Officer Jenkins had taken thorough notes on what Betty had said. Sexual abuse of a minor was a serious accusation. It came time to show her injuries to the officer. A nurse had come into the room when the officer asked for her.

“Nurse Santos is going to ask you some questions, Elizabeth. She’s going to take some pictures and do some tests. Your friend can stay if you want him to, but it will get personal. I’ll be here, as well, if that’s okay.” Betty nodded and gripped Jughead’s hand with all the strength she could muster. Before the nurse began her examination, she turned to look at Jughead.

“You don’t have to stay if you don’t want to.”

“I’m not going anywhere.” He wasn’t sure what compelled him, but he kissed her gently on her lips. It was brief, but he needed her to know in that moment how proud he was of her. She looked at him with wide eyes and a small smile found her mouth. She breathed a sigh. She left his side and moved toward the nurse.

“Elizabeth, I’m going to ask you a series of questions, then we’ll have a look at you. Okay? We can take as long as you need.” The line of questioning was similar to that of Officer Jenkins. She answered them easily, essentially retelling another person of her experiences. When it came time for the exam, she was asked to describe them. “Miss Cooper, I’m going to have to ask you to show me.”

Betty looked over to Jughead who gave her a simple, encouraging nod. He was petrified to see the damaged the man who was supposed to care for her caused. She removed her sweater, revealing a form fitting tank top. Her shoulders were covered in various colors, none of which belonged on human flesh; some were yellow, almost healed, shades of green that matched her eyes, while others were nearly black. Her skin was painted with an elaborate galaxy that should have never existed.

Jughead winced. Even though he had heard her story, now twice, he wasn’t prepared to see it on her skin. She lifted her shirt, revealing additional discoloration on her ribcage. She pulled her shirt back down to cover her torso. She took a deep breath and looked back at Jughead. Even after he heard her tale, she was still worried to reveal this next part of herself. It was something that had been just for her for years. She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing.

She slid the leggings down to her knees and stood up. Her thighs were littered with scars in different lengths, different widths. Many were completely healed, but there were a few still scabbed over. Jughead drew a sharp breath in at the sight. He turned his head, unable to handle it.

“Self-inflicted?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Betty pointed to different marks and explained. “Razor blade. Broken key. Safety pin. Broken mirror.” She took a deep breath. A pelvic exam was conducted; they took DNA samples, ensured there was no internal damages done by the abuse. Jughead left the room for that, it seemed too much of an intrusion. He went down the hall to check on Addie.

“Hey, Ad. You alright in here?” Jughead asked knocking on the door as he opened it. She sat with an officer at the small table, coloring.

“Jug! Yeah, I’m okay. Is Betty okay?”

“Yeah, she’s doing great. I’m really proud of you guys.” Addie didn’t understand the gravity of his words, but the officer looked up at him and smiled. A short while later, Betty joined them at the small table. Betty ducked her head and smiled weakly at Jughead. She was drained from the intensity of the previous few hours. All she wanted to do was curl up and sleep. She told him as much. They thanked the officers and took Addie’s hand to walk out.

Betty stopped dead in her tracks, effectively stopping Jughead and Addie. A team of officers were walking in, with Hiram and Hermione Lodge in handcuffs. A sudden feeling of relief came over Betty, she nearly fell to the ground.

“Let’s get you out of here,” Jughead whispered. He could hear Hiram yelling obscenities.

“You did this to yourself, Elizabeth. This is why no one will ever love you. How could they? Spiteful bitch.” He spat. The officer pulled him and threw him into an interrogation room.

Betty’s fist clenched. Jughead pulled her close to him, sandwiching Addie in between them. She wrapped her arms around his waist. He placed on hand on her back, rubbing gentle circles while the other was at the back of her neck for support.

“This is not your fault. He’s wrong, Betty. You have to believe that.” She shook her head violently.

“How could it not be? He’s right, I’m broken. No one is going to--”

“Hey.” He lifted her head, forcing eye contact. “He’s _wrong_ .” He took a deep breath. “You’re strong. Brilliant. Caring. Passionate.” Tears are dripping from her already bloodshot eyes. “Betty, you are the best person I’ve ever met. I will spend my entire life helping you see that if you’ll let me.” He spoke these words, staring directly into her eyes, never wavering. “I am so _proud_ of you.” Betty looked for any sign of doubt on his face. She came up empty. She reached up to kiss him, another brief gentle kiss, on the corner of his lips.

“It’s going to take me a while.” She saw that glint in his eyes again. Home.

**Author's Note:**

> How do we feel, guys? Let me know. All feedback is greatly appreciated. Also, I'm not going to pretend I know how the police/forensic side goes, so I did my best with that component. I apologize if I got anything wrong, please tell me so I can improve for the next thing I write.


End file.
